Rep. Mo Brooks gets leadership spot on House space subcommittee

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, will be vice chairman of the House subcommittee with oversight over NASA and American space programs. (The Huntsville Times file photo)

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, will be vice chair of the House subcommittee that oversees NASA including its operations at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. Brooks will be vice chairman of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. The subcommittee has oversight over NASA, the National Space Council, national space policy, commercial space activities, and international space cooperation, Brooks' office said today.

"I am thrilled to be appointed vice-chairman on a committee that is so important to America and the Marshall Space Flight Center," Brooks said in a statement. "I will work with Subcommittee Chairman Steven Palazzo (R-MS), NASA Administrator (Charles) Bolden, and national and Alabama leaders to continue America's exceptional space exploration and research legacy, and to ensure, as best as possible in a hostile budget environment, that NASA has the support and resources it requires."

Science, Space and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) said, "In the new Congress, the Science Committee will promote policies that support our nation's space program, encourage energy independence, expand scientific education, fund basic research, and enhance the development of new technologies. All of this work begins in the subcommittees. I look forward to joining Rep. Mo Brooks to advance policies that spur innovation, job creation, and economic growth."

Last week, Brooks was re-appointed to the House Science, Space and Technology and Armed Services committees and newly appointed to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.